Industry Advisory Board

The Industry Advisory Board serves in an advisory capacity to the Executive Director/CEO of the Virginia Air and Space Science Center (VASSC). Members of the Industry Advisory Board are drawn from aerospace and aviation companies and organizations across the Commonwealth and beyond. Members’ contributions include:

• Providing their expertise and that of their company or organization to help shape the content for VASSC programs, exhibits and events.
• Assisting in creating positive collaborations for the Center and its mission through networking as well as assisting with access to resources for programming, exhibits, and events.
• Providing connections to individuals within member networks to contribute to the VASSC’s mission and outreach.
• When appropriate, offering individuals from their organization to serve as presenters or expert advisors for VASSC programs.
• Representing the VASSC to the public and advocating on behalf of the Center.

Board Members

Board Member Profiles

Laura T. Blumberg

Vice President for Langley Operations, Analytical Mechanics Associates

Laura T. Blumberg is the Vice President for Langley Operations for Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA), a company that combines engineering and mathematics capabilities with the latest in information technology and visualization to build innovative solutions. Prior to joining AMA, she was the Vice President for Civil Space Enterprise IT for SAIC and Program Manager for SAIC’s IT program at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA.

Blumberg has over 30 years of experience providing government customers IT, software development, and system engineering services, including serving NASA Langley customers over the last 20 years. She began her career conducting research studies for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Fort Belvoir, VA, and has also developed and designed software for complex systems for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the State of Hawaii’s Department of Human Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A Project Management Professional (PMP), she serves on the board of directors as Vice President (and former President) of the Virginia Aerospace Business Association.

Ché Bolden

CEO, Charles F. Bolden Group | Board Chair, Inter Astra Institute

Ché Bolden is CEO of the Charles F. Bolden Group and Board Chair of the Inter Astra Institute, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to fostering equitable access and opportunity in the business of space. His leadership reflects a commitment to inclusivity and sustainable development, leveraging advanced technologies to address complex challenges.

Bolden is a strategist and innovator whose career bridges distinguished military service and transformative leadership in the business of space. As a veteran United States Marine Corps officer, his tenure spanned combat aviation operations, international diplomacy, uncrewed aerial operations, and global base modernization. A graduate of the U.S. Navy’s prestigious TOPGUN program and a Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Instructor, Bolden honed critical decision-making skills, mentored diverse teams, and mastered risk management—qualities that now drive his success in executive leadership.

Dr. David E. Bowles

Senior Research Fellow, Virginia Institute for Spaceflight and Autonomy, Old Dominion University

Dr. David E. Bowles is semi-retired and serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the Virginia Institute for Spaceflight and Autonomy (VISA) at Old Dominion University, where he previously served as VISA’s first Executive Director beginning in October 2019. VISA is chartered to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystems for spaceflight and autonomy, leveraging Virginia’s world-class assets in autonomous systems, space technologies, modeling and simulation, and data science.

Prior to his appointment at ODU, Dr. Bowles spent 39 years at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and served as Center Director from 2015 until his retirement in 2019. He is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics and currently serves as Board Chair of the National Institute of Aerospace, President of the Virginia Aerospace Business Association Board, and member of the Executive Advisory Council of the REaKTOR Technology Innovation Center.

Gregory Campbell

Director, Virginia Department of Aviation

Gregory Campbell has served as Director of the Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV) since February 14, 2022. Prior to his appointment, he was the Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, a position he held for 30 years.

The Virginia Department of Aviation develops, promotes, and advances aviation across the Commonwealth. The agency leads statewide aviation policy, oversees planning and airport development, manages aircraft registration, and promotes aviation education and emerging technologies. DOAV also partners with airports and other stakeholders to improve airport facilities, enhance safety, encourage innovation, inspire future aviators, and support economic development throughout Virginia.

Chris Carter

Director, Virginia Space Grant Consortium

Chris Carter is Director of the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) where he leads and oversees the Consortium’s diverse portfolio of programs. VSGC’s mission is to serve as a statewide hub for STEM workforce development, research and education. VSGC is a coalition of 16 members including the Virginia Air and Space Science Center, five universities, NASA’s Langley Research Center, NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, state agencies, and other organizations. VSGC provides research scholarships, fellowships, STEM courses and NASA-hosted academies for precollege students, paid internships with NASA and industry, educator professional development, and other programs. Old Dominion University serves as the host institution for VSGC.

Carter has more than 25 years of experience in managing STEM workforce development and experiential education projects in partnership with NASA, industry, higher education, and other partners. He serves on the Virginia Governor’s Aerospace Advisory Council and is a board member of the Virginia AeroSpace Business Association. Carter also serves on the Virginia Advanced Air Mobility Alliance where he chairs the education committee. Prior to VSGC, Carter served as the training coordinator for East Tennessee State University.

Kurt D. Eberly

Director of Space Launch Programs, Northrop Grumman Corporation

Throughout his 34-year career, Kurt Eberly has helped develop and launch several different rockets from Virginia’s Wallops Flight Facility, including Pegasus, Minotaur, and Antares. He is currently managing the new Eclipse medium-class launcher being co-developed with Firefly Aerospace.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company whose pioneering solutions equip customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world and push the boundaries of human exploration. Northrop Grumman is a proud Virginia company with headquarters and 6,500 employees located in the Commonwealth.

Jonathan Kelly

Chief Growth Officer, Columbus Technologies and Services, Inc.

Jonathan Kelly is a US Air Force veteran who, on active duty, served as Commander of the 9th Operational Weather Squadron in Sumter, SC, and as a division chief in the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, NY. After retiring from the Air Force, he joined Science Systems and Applications Inc., where he served as a proposal writer, program manager supporting NASA Goddard and NASA Langley, and ultimately as Chief Operating Officer. He later joined AS&M as Vice President and subsequently became a NASA civil servant to lead the stand-up of NASA Headquarters’ new Space Weather Program Office at Langley Research Center. He accepted his current position at Columbus Technologies in August 2025.

Columbus Technologies and Services, Inc., established in 2001, is an SBA Certified Woman-Owned Small Business and a premier aerospace, health services, and national security solutions company supporting government, academic, and commercial customers with specialized expertise in engineering, science, and technology.

John S. Langford

Entrepreneur • Airplane Designer • Education Advocate

John S. Langford is an entrepreneur, airplane designer, and education advocate born in 1957. Educated in the Atlanta Public Schools and at M.I.T., he and his wife Barbara moved to Virginia in 1985.

He organized and led a team that designed and built the Daedalus 88, which shattered records for human-powered flight by flying 72 miles from Crete to Santorini. In 1989 he created Aurora Flight Sciences, which pioneered the use of unmanned aircraft for earth and planetary atmospheric research. Under his leadership, Aurora developed over 40 successful robotic aircraft, including high-altitude long-endurance, vertical takeoff and landing, optionally piloted, and fully autonomous designs.

He co-founded Athena Technologies, which pioneered fault-tolerant flight controls. After Aurora was acquired by Boeing, John launched Electra.aero to lead the decarbonization of aviation, starting with hybrid-electric extreme short takeoff and landing designs. A lifelong aeromodeller and STEM advocate, John works to inspire the next generation of aviation leaders.

Captain Robert Littman

Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station Oceana

Captain Rob Littman currently serves as the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Oceana. He brings a wealth of tactical aviation and executive leadership experience to the VASSC Industry Advisory Board.

Commissioned through the NROTC program at Pennsylvania State University in 2001, he earned his wings as a Naval Aviator in 2003. Capt. Littman is a graduate of the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and has accumulated over 3,000 flight hours and more than 700 arrested landings in the F/A-18E throughout his career.

His extensive operational background includes early assignments with VFA-81, followed by deployments with VFA-136 aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and VFA-37 aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). He later achieved command-at-sea with the “Blue Diamonds” of VFA-146, leading the squadron on a deployment aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

Ashore, Capt. Littman utilized his tactical expertise as the Advanced Tactics and Training Procedures Subject Matter Expert at the Strike Fighter Weapons School Atlantic. His executive and strategic assignments include serving as the Executive Assistant to the Commander of Naval Air Forces Atlantic, as well as a tour with the United States Northern Command.

His distinguished service is recognized by numerous awards, including the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and three Air Medals.

Roosevelt Mercer, Jr.

CEO and Executive Director, Virginia Spaceport Authority | Major General, USAF (Ret.)

The mission of the Virginia Spaceport Authority is to serve the Commonwealth’s economy by providing safe, reliable, and responsive space launch services and maintaining secure facilities for testing of unmanned vehicles. The Authority owns and operates the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), co-located on NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Prior to joining the Virginia Spaceport Authority, Mercer served as Director of the Office of NextGen Collaboration and Messaging at the FAA, and before that as Vice President and Director for Government, Commercial, and International Initiatives at ITT Exelis. He served in the United States Air Force for more than 32 years, most recently as Director of Plans and Policy for U.S. Strategic Command, and held Air Force command eight times from the squadron to the wing level. Mercer also chairs the FAA’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee and the Global Spaceport Alliance’s Policy and Outreach Advisory Committee.

Daniel G. “Bud” Oakey

President, Virginia Aviation Business Association | Founder and Chairman, Advantus Strategies

Daniel G. “Bud” Oakey is a nationally recognized aviation advocate, policy strategist, and industry leader whose work has helped advance aviation and aerospace development in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is Founder and Chairman of Advantus Strategies, a Richmond-based government affairs firm specializing in business-to-government consulting at the local, state, and federal levels. Since 2016, he has served as President of the Virginia Aviation Business Association (VABA). In 2024, he worked with Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears to re-establish the Virginia General Assembly Aviation and Aerospace Caucus.

Oakey serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Mid-Atlantic Region Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, and is the Government Affairs Advisor to the Region Commander. An instrument-rated pilot, his contributions have been recognized by induction into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame, the Virginia Department of Aviation Lifetime Achievement Award, and recognition by the Virginia General Assembly in March 2024 through Senate Joint Resolution 227.

Jill Prince

Director, Research Directorate, NASA Langley Research Center

Jill Prince serves as the Director of the Research Directorate at NASA Langley Research Center, providing premier research and technology capabilities in aerosciences, intelligent flight systems, structures, and materials to NASA missions. She joined NASA Langley in 2001, making significant contributions to several Mars missions and other planetary systems analyses. She was selected to the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) in 2013 as NESC Chief Engineer at Langley, and became a member of the NASA Senior Executive Service in 2015 as Manager of the NESC Integration Office.

Prince is the recipient of numerous honors, including a NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal (2006), the 2010 Women in Aerospace Achievement Award, the NESC Leadership Award (2012), and a Meritorious Presidential Rank Award (2022). She is an AIAA Associate Fellow, an International Women’s Forum Fellow, a corresponding member of the International Academy of Astronautics, and recipient of the IAF Distinguished Service Award in 2026. She holds a B.A. in Physics and Astronomy from Northwestern University and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from The George Washington University.

Erik Rison

Senior Manager of Government Operations, The Boeing Company

Erik D. Rison is a Senior Manager of Government Operations for the Boeing Company, based out of the company’s Corporate Headquarters in Arlington, VA. He leads State and Local Government Relations across the Mid-Atlantic region including Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia. Prior to joining Boeing, Rison led Government Relations at Fortune 100 paper packaging manufacturer Smurfit Westrock, served as Vice President of Public Policy & Research for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and began his career as a legislative aide in the Virginia General Assembly.

He currently serves on the boards of directors of the Virginia Aviation Business Association (VABA), the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, and the National Landing Business Improvement District.

Jack Schlank

Senior Technical Advisor, Sierra Lobo, Inc.

Jack Schlank is a Senior Technical Advisor for Sierra Lobo, Inc. (SLI), and has held previous positions with the company including Vice President and Program Manager of SLI’s Engineering Test and Evaluation contract at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Program Manager of contracts at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Prior to Sierra Lobo, he held management positions at Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, all involving launch vehicle and spacecraft testing and production.

Schlank currently serves on the board of directors of the Virginia AeroSpace Business Association and as Chairman of VASBA’s Educational Outreach and Workforce Development Committee. He is also a member of the Virginia Space Grant Consortium’s Advisory Council and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Vasu Unnam

CEO, Analytical Services and Materials, Inc. (AS&M)

Vasu Unnam is an accomplished business and scientific leader with 17 years of progressive experience in engineering, research, and executive management. She currently serves as CEO of Analytical Services and Materials, Inc. (AS&M), an SBA-certified, woman-owned engineering and research services company based in Hampton, Virginia, founded in 1983. AS&M provides advanced technical solutions to government and commercial clients, with a focus on testing, aviation, aerospace, and scientific research, and has received numerous awards including the NASA George M. Low Trophy for Quality & Excellence.

Unnam oversees daily business operations and contract performance while ensuring organizational stability, compliance, and long-term growth. Her expertise spans facility security management and quality assurance systems including ISO 9001, CMMI, and CMMC frameworks. She is recognized for her strengths in collaborative communication, strategic decision-making, and strong stakeholder relationships.

Stephen P. Sandford

Founder and CEO, Psionic, Inc.

As the former Director of the Space Technology and Exploration Directorate at NASA Langley, Stephen Sandford planned, managed, and executed large and complex programs to develop and deploy new technologies critical to space exploration as an engineer, scientist, project manager, and executive for nearly three decades. His initiatives included the Orion Launch Abort System, the Space Launch System, and aerodynamics and landing system testing for the Orion spacecraft.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Hampton, Virginia, Psionic is a rapidly growing small business focused on developing next-generation dual-use navigation solutions. The company’s technology originates from NASA’s Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL), delivering highly accurate, long-range velocity and distance measurements for space, commercial, and defense markets—including precision navigation in GPS-denied environments.

Colonel Andrew M. Weidner

Commander, 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, Joint Base Langley-Eustis

Col. Weidner is the Commander of the 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, at Joint Base
Langley-Eustis, Virginia. He is responsible for the readiness of more than 1,250 Airmen in the
execution of multiple federal and state missions to include F-22 Raptor operations and
maintenance, intelligence (distributed common ground system), cyber operations, civil
engineering (RED HORSE), security forces, and Chemical, Biological, Radiation, Nuclear and
Explosive Response Force Package (CERFP).

Col Weidner commissioned in 2003 from officer training school and earned his wings in 2005.
He began his flying career in the F-15C at RAF Lakenheath, supporting NATO and Baltic
operations. In 2008, he transitioned to the F-22 and Langley AFB as an Instructor Pilot and
Flight Commander culminating in 4 deployments to INDOPACOM and CENTCOM. In 2013, he
transitioned to the F-22 at JB Elmendorf-Richardson, where he served as the 90th Fighter
Squadron’s Chief of Standardization and Evaluation.

Since joining the Virginia Air National Guard in 2015, Col Weidner has served as a Squadron
Commander and deployed in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE and Operation
NOBLE EAGLE. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Commander of the 192nd
Operations Group. He has deployed members in support of Operation Midnight Hammer,
Operation Absolute Resolve and Operation Epic Fury.